Event : Pilgrimage to India with Lama Tsultrim Allione Date : September 30 - October 30Website : http://taramandala.org/program/pilgrimage-to-india/Cost : USD$4665Programme :To receive and practice the P’howa in a remote monastery in Lahaul, similar to Tibet at 10,000 ft., with the sublime yogi Sey Rinpoche in Shakya Shri’s lineage, and then Dzogchen nature of mind instructions from the quintessential yogi Wangdor Rinpoche is already incredible. Then the crowning glory will be the Chod empowerment with His Holiness Karmapa in Dharamsala. Never before has he given serious teachings to Westerners. That he is doing this is very profound, especially since in his third incarnation he wrote the first commentaries on Machig’s teachings. Below is our itinerary. There will be a limit to the number who can go to keep the group to an appropriate size, registrations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Requirements: at least three retreats with Lama Tsultrim or special permission.Itenerary :September 30: Arrive Delhi and restOctober 1:Rest Delhi, we’ll start off easy, to recuperate from travel we will visit the Amam spa steam baths in Delhi where everyone will get a massage before we head for the hills!October 2:Flight to Kullu then short drive to Manali In Manali we will practice in the gompa of Apho Rinpoche. Apho Rinpoche’s stupa is in Manali and a small gompa holding a miraculous statue of Shakya Shri. October 3:Lama Tsultrim’s 65th birthday in Manali with White Dakini (Tsogyal Karmo) Tsog and Empowerment from Ngawang Gelek Namgyal, more well-known as Sey Rinpoche. His Eminence is the Third Lineage Holder of Tokden Drubwang Dugu Shakya Shri, in both the spiritual and familial senses.October 5:Manali to LahoulFull days’ drive moving into a Buddhist culture close to Tibet. We will drive over the the Rotang Pass (3,980 meters / 13,051 feet), and descend into Kelong, Lahaul (10,000 feet). Apho Rinpoche had several monasteries in Lahoul and spent summers there. Lahoul is known as a Dakini Land and is connected to the Chakrasamvara tantra and there are many sacred places in this Himalayan kingdom. The famous Tibetan pilgrim Gotsangpa passed through Lahoul and wrote about the Dakini power, ancient monasteries, and meditation caves. Here we will settle into retreat camp at Chuktar GompaOctober 6 – 10:Lahaul Key Gompa 5 Day Phowa Retreat. After we receive the P’howa empowerment from the lineage of Shakya Shri, from Sey Rinpoche we will practice it intensively under Sey Rinpoche’s guidance. This is a famous and a very powerful and effective phowa lineage and Sey Rinpoche has graciously agreed to bestow it on our group at this sacred place in the seat of the lineage.October 11:Lahoul – visit holy dakini pilgrimage sites of Lahaul.October 12:Lahoul – ManaliOctober 13 – 14: Manali – rest and as you say farewell to the higher Himalayan peaks. May visit Hadimba temple and a Drukpa gompa.October 15: Manali to Tso Pema - We will wind down the Kullu Valley to the kingdom of Mandi where Guru Rinpoche met Princess Mandarava and was discovered in her nunnery.October 16 – 22:Dzog Chen retreat with Lama Wangdor.Lama Wangdor Rinpoche and Lama Tsultrim, Tso Pema 2011. At Tso Pema near the Guru Rinpoche cave we will have the exquisite opportunity to receive the extensive commentary on the Tsig Sum Ne Dik, “The Three Phrases that Strike the Vital Point”, Garab Dorje’s last testament, quintessential Dzogchen nature of mind teachings will be given by Lama Wangdor Rinpoche and translated by his heart disciple Lama Lena. Wangdor Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist monk and teacher who came to Tso Pema after carrying (literally) his Lama Drukpa Tugse Rinpoche to safety over the Himalayas. At the time no one lived in Guru Rinpoche Cave above Lotus Lake (Tso Pema). He stayed there alone, braving mountain lions and blizzards for decades of solitary meditation. He has achieved the state which Buddhists call realization and is respected worldwide as a venerable teacher and a master of Dzogchen meditation. In solitary retreat during the early years, he was eventually joined over time by more than 50 cave-dwelling yogis and yoginis who look to him for guidance and support. Wangdor Rinpoche holds both Nyingma and Kagyu Dzogchen/Chagchen lineages and is considered a Rime (beyond limits) teacher. He teaches from heart texts on Dzogchen, the Dzogchen (Maha-ati) and Chagchen (Mahamudra yogas) which he has received in lineage from Nyala Changchub Dorje, Kunu Rinpoche and scholars Chonchok Surmang Khenpo of Trungpa Rinpoche’s line; Tugse Rinpoche and Pumdong Key Rinpoche. We will hold practice sessions and receive daily teachings.During this time we will stay down at the sacred place of Tso Pema and visit Mandarava’s cave, Guru Rinpoche’s cave, Lama Wangdor’s big, newly completed Guru Rinpoche statue, and some of the yogin’s caves. We will also circumambulate the lake that appeared when the King of Mandi tried to burn Guru Rinpoche alive after discovering him teaching Princess Mandarava and her attendants.October 23 – 24:Tso Pema to Kangra Valley Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, at her Nunnery with Lama Tsultrim 2011We plan to visit Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s nunnery, Tashi Jong and Khampagar, sit with the Kudong (Remains) of the great Togden Amtrin & other yogis, have teachings with Dorzang Rinpoche, visit Sherab Ling and Situ Rinpoche, and stay in Bir at a typical Tibetan settlement where Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has his projects, Chokyi Lodro Institute and Deer Park.October 25:Bir to Dharamsala - short drive explore Dharamsala seeing His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s seat and the Tibetan community that has grown up around him. October 26:Preparations for the Empowerment with HH Gyalwa KarmapaOctober 27 – 29:Chod Empowerment with HH Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen TrinleyWe are overjoyed that His Holiness Karmapa has agreed to bestow the Chod Wang from Machig Labdron at Lama Tsultrim’s bequest. Never before has the 17th Karmapa given this empowerment and it is the first time he will give serious teachings to Westerners. Gyalwang Karmapa holds the closest living lineage to the historical Machig Labdron. The third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje wrote the first commentaries on Chod and we have requested that he teach from these commentaries.Rangjung Dorje (1284–1339) was an important figure in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He reportedly produced a spontaneous black crown (which would later be a symbol of the line) at the age of three and declared himself to be the mindstream re-embodiment of Karma Pakshi (2nd Karmapa). Born to a Nyingma family, he received the full transmission of the Nyingma tradition in addition to the Karma Kagyu. The third Karmapa Lama, Rangjung Dorje, was a disciple of Nyingma Kumaradza). The latter taught Rangjung Dorje the nying-thig, “heart-essence,” teachings transmitted by Padmasambhava (the Khandro Nyingtig) and Vimalamitra (the Vima Nyingtig). Therefore, Rangjung Dorje belongs to the nying-thig lineage of the Nyingma school.October 30:Fly from Dharamsala to Delhi (or end pilgrimage in Dharamsala)Pilgrimage Details at : http://taramandala.org/pilgrimage-detailed-itinerary/